CERAMIC SYSTEMS FOR LONG-TERM DELIVERY OF CHEMICALS AND BIOLOGICALS

Evaluation of devices, drugs, and drug delivery systems have been investigated by both in vitro and in vivo procedures. Ceramic drug delivery systems can be used to evaluate chemicals and biologicals by both in vitro and in vivo procedures. The system can also reduce handling of the animals and facilitate long-term evaluations before conducting clinical trials. To date, ceramic systems have been used; to deliver aldosterone, androstanedione, betalactoglobulin, bovine serum albumin, chymotrypsin, danazol, difluoromethythylornithine, dihydrotestosterone, estradiol, gamma globulin, gonadotrophic releasing hormone, gossypol, growth hormone, insulin, methylene blue, pepsin, progesterone, and testoterone. The data obtained suggest that ceramic delivery systems can be used in the near future to treat diseases requiring long-term chronic drug therapy as well as disorders caused by deficiency of certain hormones.